The air inside the Temple of the Moon was cool and thick with the scent of incense, like something ancient and sacred. The long corridors stretched out before them, dimly lit by the soft glow of silver lanterns that flickered like starlight. Jayden's steps echoed against the stone walls as he followed Valen deeper into the heart of the temple, where he was about to face the next step in his journey.
Jayden's mind buzzed with thoughts, but his body felt heavier than ever. Each step seemed to take him further from the world he knew, and closer to a destiny he hadn't chosen. Magic surged in his veins, but it was a force he didn't understand. It was as if there was an uncharted ocean inside him, vast and unexplored, and he had no idea how to swim.
"Where are we going?" Jayden asked, trying to steady his breath.
Valen walked ahead, his cloak sweeping behind him, his face still shadowed beneath his hood. "To the heart of the temple. You need to understand what you carry within you—before you face what's coming."
They passed through a set of massive wooden doors, their surface etched with intricate lunar symbols. Inside was a circular chamber, unlike any other part of the temple Jayden had seen. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves, filled with ancient tomes that looked older than time itself. The center of the room was dominated by a large stone altar, covered in glowing runes that seemed to pulse with their own rhythm.
At the far end of the chamber, a single figure stood—a woman, her back turned to them. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of moonlight, and she wore robes that shimmered faintly, like the night sky.
"Eryndor," Valen said, his voice low but respectful. "This is Jayden."
The woman turned slowly, her pale blue eyes meeting Jayden's. Her gaze was both gentle and piercing, as though she could see straight through him. There was something familiar about her, though he couldn't place it.
"Ah, Jayden," she said, her voice soft but carrying the weight of the ages. "The child of the Moon. I have been expecting you."
Jayden swallowed hard, his nerves tightening. "You have? But… how?"
Eryndor smiled faintly, her eyes reflecting a sorrow that Jayden couldn't understand. "There are many things in this world that remain hidden, even from those who walk closest to the light. The Moon's call is not a simple one. It echoes through time, calling those who carry its blood. And now, it has called you."
Valen stepped forward, his face grim. "Eryndor has been a keeper of the Moon's secrets for longer than most. She can help you understand what you need to know."
Eryndor nodded, stepping toward the altar and tracing the glowing runes with her fingers. "Come. Let me show you."
She gestured for Jayden to approach. His heart raced as he crossed the room, his shoes barely making a sound on the stone floor. The moment he stood beside her, the runes flared with light, and the air around them seemed to shimmer. It was as if the entire room had come alive, vibrating with energy.
Eryndor raised her hands above the altar, and the runes began to shift and rearrange themselves, revealing images that flickered like shadows cast by a fire. Jayden gasped as he saw them—visions of ancient battles, of men and women wielding the power of the Moon, their faces twisted in anger and fear. Shadows lurked on the edges of the images, moving like dark tendrils, threatening to consume everything in their path.
"The power of the Moon is not easily controlled, Jayden," Eryndor said, her voice echoing in the chamber as the images continued to flicker. "It is a gift and a curse. In the wrong hands, it can destroy everything. In the right hands, it can save this world. But those who once wielded it were not without their flaws."
Jayden's gaze was fixed on the visions before him. He saw a man standing in the center of an army, his eyes glowing with the same silver light that had filled Jayden's veins. He was strong, commanding, but as the vision zoomed in, Jayden could see the shadow that lingered around his heart, a darkness that threatened to swallow him whole.
"This was the first of the Moon's chosen," Eryndor explained, her voice low with sorrow. "His name was Eryos. He was a great warrior, destined to lead the fight against the Shadowborn. But his ambition grew. He sought to harness the full power of the Moon, to bend it to his will."
Jayden shuddered as the vision shifted again, showing Eryos surrounded by the very darkness he had fought against. The shadows twisted and consumed him, pulling him into the abyss. The power that had once been a blessing became his doom.
"He thought he could control the darkness," Eryndor continued, her tone heavy with regret. "But the Moon does not give power freely. It tests those who would wield it. And Eryos failed. In his hubris, he became the very thing he sought to destroy."
The vision shifted again, this time showing a great battle beneath a blood-red sky. The armies of light and shadow clashed, but the image was warped, distorted. It was as though the very fabric of reality was bending and twisting, unraveling under the weight of the power at play.
"The Moon will choose you, Jayden," Eryndor said, her voice sharp now, carrying a weight of warning. "But it will not be without cost. You must learn to control it, or the darkness will take you, just as it took Eryos. The power within you is ancient. It is bound to the Moon, but also to the Shadowborn. They are connected—linked by blood and fate."
Jayden felt a surge of panic, the gravity of her words sinking in. "So… I'm like him? Like Eryos? I could become—" He stopped, his throat tightening.
"No," Eryndor said quickly, her eyes softening with understanding. "You are not Eryos. You are different. The Moon has chosen you, but not because you are the same. You have a part of him in you, yes, but you also carry something else—something new. The Moon is not what it once was. It is not the weapon it once was. It is a guide, a force that seeks balance."
Jayden felt a flicker of hope at her words, but the doubt was still there, lurking. "But how do I control it? How do I know I won't lose myself?"
Eryndor placed her hand on his shoulder, her touch light but firm. "By understanding its source. The Moon's power is not in your blood alone. It is in your heart. The Moon chose you not because of what you carry in your veins, but because of what lies within you. You must learn to see beyond the magic. To feel the world around you. To listen to the whispers of the Moon."
Jayden's mind spun with her words. The power inside him was both a gift and a burden. He could feel it now—like a storm just beneath his skin, ready to break free. But would he be able to control it? Or would it control him, like Eryos before him?
"There are places in this world where the balance is tipping," Eryndor continued. "Places where the Moon's light no longer reaches, and the darkness is trying to reclaim what was lost. You must go to those places, Jayden. You must find the answers that lie hidden, before the Shadowborn awaken."
Jayden nodded, though his mind was still spinning. "Where do I start?"
"First, you must understand the nature of the power you carry," Eryndor said. "The Moon's magic is not simply about strength or force. It is about understanding the flow of energy in the world. And in order to do that, you must learn from those who came before you."
Eryndor's eyes locked onto his. "I will teach you what I know, Jayden. But there is more you must learn from the others—those who share your fate. You will find them. And together, you will face the darkness that is coming."
Jayden took a deep breath, his heart heavy with the weight of the task ahead. But there was something in his chest—a fire—that told him he couldn't back down now. Not when the world needed him. Not when he was the one who had been chosen.
He wasn't ready, but he would be. He had no choice.
And so, as the Moon's light shone brightly above the Temple of the Moon, Jayden stepped forward, ready to learn what it meant to wield the power that had been passed down through the ages. Ready to confront the darkness that was rising.
For the Moon had called him. And now, there was no turning back.